Will eliminating trash trains eliminate Subway trash?

New Yorkers, have you noticed fewer trash cans on your local platform? The MTA thinks getting rid of trash cans will reduce the need for subterranean garbage collection, thus speeding up late night operation.

Trash train, photo via lurvely.com

Yes, it’s devastating to be waiting late night, to hear that rumble of promise, only to discover it’s the freaking trash train. Delays suck. But really, will we throw less away just because we have no where to throw it? Sure, there’s evidence that if we don’t have trays to load up, we take less food in cafeterias. It seems like a leap, though, to apply the same logic to solid waste. Thoughts?

I used to live in Japan and they have very few trash cans on the streets and believe me it made me think twice about buying things out of the ever present vending machines. We actually had to carry our trash around until we got back to our homestay because there was no other place to put it. So maybe there’s something to it. (Also Japan recycles a lot so maybe I should change my terminology)